Transcript Slide 1

NON-SECURE PLACEMENT PROGRAMS AT
GOOD SHEPHERD SERVICES
Denise Hinds, LMSW
Associate Executive Director
Foster Care, Juvenile Justice and Housing
December 5, 2013
WHO WE ARE
Good Shepherd Services is a youth development, education, and family service
organization in New York City.
Our mission is to provide vulnerable youth and their families with the services
and supports they need to make a safe passage to self-sufficiency.
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WHAT WE DO
AAmulti-service
multi-serviceagency,
agency,we
weoperate
operatetwo
twonetworks
networksof
ofcommunity-based
community-basedyouth
youth
development,
development,education,
education,and
andfamily
familyservice
serviceprograms
programsininBrooklyn
Brooklynand
andthe
theBronx;
group
Bronx;homes
group for
homes
adolescents;
for adolescents;
foster care
foster
andcare
adoption
and adoption
services;services;
and an inand an
service
in-service
professional
professional
training
training
program.
program.
Last year alone:
26,037
participants were served through
83
programs operated across
3
boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan).
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BRINGING YOUTH BACK TO NYC
Intended Impact: Improved social and
behavioral functioning, improved family
connection, successful family and
community reintegration including
community education reentry
Target Population: Youth placed in nonsecure placement as the disposition of a
Family Court delinquency case, and
referred to GSS by ACS.
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Opened: September/October 2012
Sites: Barbara Blum Residence (boys)
and Shirley Chisholm Residence (girls),
both located in Brooklyn
Census: 24 (12 beds per site)
Number of youth served to date: 66
Projected length of stay: 7 months
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GSS APPROACH TO WORKING WITH JUSTICE YOUTH
Our approach to services across all youth justice programs begins with the GSS Youth
and Family Development Framework and its strengths-based principles.
In addition, residential youth justice programs have
implemented The Sanctuary Model and Missouri
Approach which provides staff and participants with
trauma-informed tools and techniques to promote a
sense of safety and belonging.
The Sanctuary Model: Creating and maintaining a
trauma-sensitive environment that fosters
movement towards healing, growth and change.
The Missouri Approach: The MYSI Approach is a
group treatment approach designed for the purpose
of keeping youth safe and secure during their
rehabilitative process, with the goal of reducing the
number of youth that recidivate.
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NSP PARTICIPANT EXPOSURE TO TRAUMA*
Rank
Type of Trauma Exposure
YES
1
Hearing about the Violent Death of a Loved One
61%/65%
2
Seeing Someone Beat Up, Shot or Killed
56%/69%
3
Seeing a Dead Body in your Town (not funerals)
28%/38%
4
Beat Up, Shot, or Threatened in Your Town
28%/35%
5
Other Disaster: Fire, Flood, Tornado, Hurricane
24%/12%
6
Having a Painful Medical Treatment
17%/15%
7
Being in a Place Where a War Was Going On
17%/12%
8
Bad Accident (Example: Very Serious Car Accident)
17%/12%
9
Seeing a Family Member Hit, Punched, Kicked
6%/23%
10
Hit, Punched, Kicked Very Hard at Home
6%/19%
11
Sexual Abuse
6%/12%
12
Other Really Scary, Dangerous or Violent Event
0%/12%
*Results from the UCLA PTSD Index Scale Completed 1/1/12-6/30/13 (N = 44)
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EARLY SUCCESSES
Improved Academic Outcomes:
o Youth are attending school daily and earning DOE credits toward graduation;
o 91% of the young people who complete the program transition into DOE schools;
o 9 of our young people passed a regents exam.
o 9 young people attended summer school and earned credits
o Young people did not earn DOE credits under the old state run system and, as a result,
returned to their communities further behind academically.
Greater Contact with Families:
Prior to Close to Home, distance and transportation costs made it difficult for families to
visit their child. Now families are able to use NYC public transportation to visit their youth
and participate in family counseling. Many youth are also able to earn home passes.
Aftercare:
After completing the residential portion of placement, young people receive strengthbased aftercare services, with a focus on educational transitional planning.
Work Force Readiness Activities:
During the summer months 3 young people participated in Internships with Exalt and 10
in Summer Youth Employment
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WHAT HAPPENS AT DISCHARGE?
Discharge Reason/Discharged to
NSP - End of Sentence
NSP - Return to the Community
Family Member
Number of Youth
2
19
16
Foster Family (MTFC)
2
Child Welfare Group Residence
1
Grand Total
21
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HOW WE DO IT
Key Program Components
On-Site Support Services
o Sanctuary/Missouri Phase System
o Case Management Services
o GSS/DOE School
o Highly Trained and Supervised Youth
Counselors
o Interdisciplinary Team
o Positive Recreation and Life Skill
Development
o Educational Specialist
o Behavioral Specialist
o Health Services
o Daily Circle Ups
o Family Counseling and Supports
"I can't change what has happened in the past, but I most
definitely have lots of control over my future."
--Youth Justice Program Alumnae
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